Cambodia's Indigenous Minority Faces Delays in Land Registration

An indigenous Kuy minority community in Cambodia's Kampong Thom province is facing delays in the registration of their collective land rights. On September 17, as part of the "Land Access and Natural Resource Protection for Indigenous Peoples (LAPNIR)" project, led by the Action for Development Organization (AFD) and the Cambodian Indigenous Peoples Organization (CIPO), provincial and district land management committee officials visited the community in Ngon village, Sandan district. The visit aimed to learn about the management and leadership practices of the indigenous Kuy community and to understand their stance on land ownership, the challenges they face, and their essential needs. Representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, the Ministry of Interior, partner organizations, and the land management committees of Kampong Thom province and Sandan district, along with commune authorities, village chiefs, and many members of the indigenous Kuy community, participated in the study tour. Hian Hiak, vice-chief of the indigenous Kuy community in Ngon village, explained that the community was established to promote indigenous traditions, culture, language, and livelihoods, as well as to conserve natural resources and ensure sustainable land use. The community received recognition as an indigenous group from the Ministry of Rural Development in 2016 and was registered with the Ministry of Interior in 2017. However, their application for collective land registration with the Kampong Thom Provincial Department of Land Management, Urban Planning, Construction and Cadastre, submitted in 2018, has yet to be granted. The community has requested the provincial land management committee to expedite the collective land registration process, emphasizing that it is for the collective benefit of the indigenous Kuy community and future generations, in line with the government's policies. Cham Thorn, deputy governor of Sandan district, noted that Ngon village is the only community in Kampong Thom province currently undertaking collective land registration. Despite interruptions and facing several challenges, he praised the community members' continued solidarity and desire for collective land registration to preserve their traditions, culture, language, beliefs, and particularly to ensure the sustainable use of land and natural resources. Saom Sophak, director of AFD, informed the community members that the purpose of the study tour was to gain further understanding of the challenges and the current situation on the ground, enabling the visiting team to reflect on the outcomes and present them to the provincial land management committee for consultation and joint problem-solving. By: Sum Vanna © All rights reserved by National News Agency of Cambodia 2018